


touch gradient

by pvwork



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Team Dynamics, Team Huddles, haikyuu spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 12:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1857267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pvwork/pseuds/pvwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hajime is not a hedgehog. He can receive hugs just fine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	touch gradient

**Author's Note:**

> Potential spoilers for chapters 40-60.

_A point is a point, no matter how you get it._

Contrary to popular belief, Hajime does not shun physical contact. Just because his hair and his personality are rather spiky, it doesn’t mean that he’s incapable of giving excellent hugs and great pep talks. 

“Shake it off, Kindachi,” Hajime says, reaching to sling an arm around the first year’s shoulders and shaking him a little in the hopes of easing up the disappointed frown on his face. The rest of the Seijou volleyball club quickly converges towards the center of the court in a team huddle. 

The volleyball huddle is a huddle of it’s own genus and species. It’s one of a kind and separates itself from, say, the basketball huddle or the baseball huddle because it happens so regularly. It occurs after every point whether its your team or the opposing team that manages to score a point. 

Hajime hadn’t been very comfortable with what he had thought of as a stifling wall of sweaty skin, sharp elbows, and almost-too-familiar pats on the back his first year in high school, but now he takes comfort in each point of contact pressed against him. 

“That superhuman quick is something that we’ll get used to in no time,” Hajime adds, loud enough for everyone to hear even as the huddle dispersed in a matter of seconds. Leaves in the wind, Hajime thinks as he prepares to gets up close and personal with the net. 

The next point goes to Seijou and this time the huddle is close and comfortable even without Hajime having to try. Tired smiles go around, so it’s easy to just lift an arm and poke Hanamaki playfully. “After we win, I’ll challenge you to a rematch at arm wrestling. Make sure to jump high and be a good decoy though.” 

Oikawa’s eyes are still a little glazed like he’s not quite all there in the huddle. Sometimes, it takes a minute for him to leave the zone he gets into when he’s serving, but Oikawa’s lips still quirk upward like the thought of Hanamaki’s dramatic laments of another lost arm wrestling match bring him joy. Hajime wouldn’t be surprised. Oikawa’s a bit of a sadist like that. 

Hajime’s attempt to lighten the mood doesn’t succeed as well as he had hoped, but some of the second years crack wane smiles and that’s all that really matters. It might not be the best time to joke around, but Hajime feels the overwhelming tension in the air and it’s unbearable. He wants to win so bad it’s like the physical ache of a knife twisting in his gut, but to have the whole team straining under pressure, ready to crawl out of their skins in frustration and excitement at how quickly the points are tallying up for both sides, it can’t go on.

“Let’s play well,” he says with finality as they break up. The whole exchange couldn’t have lasted more than a handful of seconds. 

As everyone heads to their positions, Oikawa smiles as he stalks past Hajime on his way to the service line.

“You’re working so hard to keep up spirits, Iwa-chan.”

“Shove it, dumbass, and just focus on serving well.”


End file.
